Moffett. Julie Moffett. And She Has a Giveaway!

The Chicks are excited to welcome back award-winning author Julie Moffett. The eleventh book in her popular Lexi Carmichael Mystery Series, NO STONE UNTURNED, was just released by Carina Press–and you can win an e-copy! (***UPDATE: Giveaway is now closed. Please see comments section for Winner Announcement!*** )

James Bond Turned Upside Down

Hi, I’m mystery author Julie Moffett. I write the long-running, geeky mystery series featuring geek girl Lexi Carmichael. A lot of people ask me how I came up with the character of Lexi. It all started because I’m a James Bond geek. As a teen I read all Ian Fleming’s books and then saw the movies. I adored the danger, the thrill of a complicated plot, the international action, and the over-the-top chase scenes. Once in college, I even decided to join the CIA, majoring in Political Science and Russian Language and going all the way through four years of the interview process—including taking a tour of the site, meeting my prospective boss in the psychological profiling unit—and taking a lengthy lie detector test. (By the way, did you know that the CIA cafeteria at Langley has two sides to it: one side for the ordinary agents and one side for the covert agents?) At the last moment, however, I changed my mind, opting instead for a less restrictive career in international journalism. But my love for all things spy and international remained.

So when I began to dream up a new series, I decided to do it by turning the James Bond image on its head. I wanted to create an action/adventure character that would be an antithesis to 007. She would be a loner, lacking in social skills and grace, and anti-fashion. Instead of using her debonair charm and good looks to save the day, she’d use her brain. A super-charged geek brain. To help her out I’d pair her with a set of super genius geek twins to help her through any crisis (think Q2). Her best friend would be more of a Bond girl who could help her navigate the tricky waters of dating, socializing, and finding a decent dress. Throw in a sexy secret agent and a hot Irish lawyer and things really heated up for our geeky heroine. To add more laughs, I gave my character an obsession with all things Bond, which leads to many humorous moments in the books. Voila! Lexi Carmichael was born.

In her latest adventure, NO STONE UNTURNED, Lexi thinks getting engaged means calmer days ahead. But when her fiancé’s past brings up more questions than answers, she’s not going to let anything—or anyone—drive them apart.

Getting engaged is supposed to be a fun, exciting time in a girl’s life. But things are never that easy for Slash and me. Instead, someone is threatening to expose Slash’s past–a past so secret, even I know very little about it.

Before I can get used the weight of Nonna’s antique ring on my finger, he’s on his way to Rome…and we’re farther apart than we’ve ever been. Still, I have no intention of sitting at home and letting him take on the Vatican by himself.

With a little expert-level hacking, I learn Slash is keeping secrets from me. Big ones. Dangerous ones. In fact, the more I dig into Slash’s past, the more I discover things about him I never knew–things that eventually pit us against each other.

From Rome to the Amalfi coast to the highest levels of the Vatican, we both race to discover the truth. No matter what I find, we’re officially a team now, so I won’t let him face this alone. Even if I don’t know if our relationship can survive it.

**GIVEAWAY!** I’m giving away an e-copy of either the first book in the Lexi Carmichael series, NO ONE LIVES TWICE, or the first book in the young adult mystery spin-off of the series, WHITE KNIGHTS. How to enter? Just let me know in the comments below: Who is your favorite Bond? (***WINNER ANNOUNCEMENT: The randomly-chosen winner of Julie’s giveaway is Mark Baker***!)

Welcome, Julie! Thanks so much for visiting Chicks today and offering a giveaway, too! Believe it or not, in high school I wanted to join the FBI (even though I’m a total chicken). I was devastated to learn that female applicants had to meet the same requirements as males–and I was not 5′ 6″. Probably a good thing…

I was also an Ian Fleming fan (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, chahooo-ga!) and read every 007 book cover-to-cover off my dad’s bookshelves (what did they have to do with the movies, tho?). My favorite James Bond was…Roger Moore. When I was a kid I thought he was sooo handsome for an old person–and didn’t get why everyone loved Sean Connery, that even older guy with the beard (as I knew him later). Of course, all the double-entendres went over my head–and I thought Roger was super funny, for real. Though I wouldn’t kick Pierce Brosnan out of my underwater compound…

Julie, this sounds like such a fun series. Thanks for stopping by and introducing yourself to me.
CIA? Heck yeah! I would have so loved to join, but I have no physical prowess at all, so back in my day, they would have laughed me out of the building.
And Lisa? They have all kinds of requirements for gov’t jobs. The job I originally wanted when I went government I was too old, by six months. Like older chicks can’t handle a gun? I call bullshrimp!
My favorite Bond? In order?
Have to go with Sean Connery first, because, he’s Sean Connery! He had the action/masculinity part down pat, and good looking, but I didn’t think suave.
Sir Roger Moore is next. He was the suavest, but I didn’t think he did well in action scenes, and it was hard to see him as a rough and tumble masculine guy.
Pierce Brosnan is third on my list. He carried off the action, the masculinity, the suave, & the looks. But I think he was a bit tired when he started, cause he’d done Remington Steeles.
Daniel Craig is a tie for third. He’s the whole package, but I feel they changed Bond’s preconceived notions, so he’s a different Bond than what I grew up with.
David Niven and George Lazenby only did one movie each, so it is really hard to give an opinion.
Sadly, Timothy Dalton IMHO is the worst of the bunch. I just didn’t like him as Bond.

I’d totally forgotten about David Niven and Casino Royale–ha! Your books sound terrific, Julie–definitely gonna have to read them! (Love the geek spy angle, like Marshall in Alias. But even better that it’s a woman.) Thanks so much for visiting the Chicks today!

Julie, the book sounds great! And I, like you, am obsessed with James Bond. My cell phone number even ends with 007. When I tell people the number, you can bet I end with saying “double oh seven” in a British accent.

And I had no idea about the CIA cafeteria. Fascinating! I so want to eat there now. On the covert side, of course. #nosy

Thanks so much for having me today! It’s been so fun to read all of your comments on your favorite James Bond choices. I think we should all get together and have a Bond party! Lol! Come dressed as your favorite character. Can I come as Q? oxoxox Julie

Daniel Craig would be my choice–especially the clip he made with Queen E for her Jubilee. Smoking her out of Buckingham on to a helicopter to parachute into a new venue. Such fun! And I like the geek girl bent to your writing–being a geek girl myself. Not a hacker–an audio engineer.

My favorite James Bond would be Sean Connery. i ave been following ou for awhile now but haven’t started your Lexi series but pan on ding so next month. have to catch up on buying your books. So many great books to read and so little time.